Summer Recipes

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons white rice
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ground
• Zest of half a lime
• 3 cups hot water
• 3 cups cold water, divided
• 1 ¼ cups sugar, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. Place the rice in a blender or spice grinder and process until thoroughly pulverized. Transfer to large bowl or pitcher and add walnuts, cinnamon, and lime zest.
2. Add hot water; cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.
3. Transfer mixture to a blender and blend as smoothly as possible. Add 2 cups cold water and blend again until thoroughly combined.
4. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl. Slowly pour rice mixture into strainer and let liquid drain into bowl. Slowly press as much of the solids through the strainer as possible. (The more slowly you strain the mixture, the smoother the horchata will be.)
5. Transfer to a pitcher and stir in remaining 2 cups cold water. Then add sugar and vanilla extract and stir well. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Ingredients

• Ice cubes
• 85g California walnut milk
• 40g vodka
• 40g coffee liqueur
• 1 pinch of ground cinnamon
• Cinnamon sticks, for garnish

Preparation:

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add walnut milk, vodka, liqueur and cinnamon.
2. Shake and strain into a glass.
3. Garnish with cinnamon sticks.

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 400g cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
• 3 spring onions, roughly chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• Small bunch of tarragon
• Couple of sprigs of mint
• Small bunch of basil
• 100g California walnut halves
• 220g Greek yoghurt
• 30ml lemon juice (plus a little extra)
• 70ml extra virgin olive oil
• A pinch of salt and pepper

For the garnish:

• 8 ice cubes
• 2 radishes, thinly sliced
• 50g California walnuts, toasted
• Mixed herbs
• Salad leaves
• Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:

1. Place all the ingredients for the soup into a blender and blitz until smooth, and then season with the salt and pepper, adding a little more lemon juice if you like.
2.  Pour the soup into four bowls and garnish with your choice of fresh herbs and leaves, sliced radishes, toasted walnuts and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
3. Pop one or two ice cubes in each bowl to keep the soup super chilled.

Ingredients

• Nonstick spray
• 1/2 cup light-colored honey
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon fine lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon coarse lemon zest / chopped lemon peel
• 1/3 cup minced California walnuts, lightly toasted
• 1Kg fresh summer stone fruit – any combination of peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, pluots, cherries, etc.
• Lovely mint leaves, for garnish

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl combine the lemon juice, zest, honey and peel, and beat for a minute or two, until combined. Stir in the California walnuts.
2. Pit and slice the fruit, and arrange it on a platter or on individual dessert plates. Spoon some sauce over or next to the fruit, then garnish with mint leaves. Serve right away.

Ingredients

• 1 cup California walnuts, soaked for 2 hours or overnight in water
• 2 1/2 cups walnut milk
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 4 teaspoons instant coffee
• 1 tablespoon MCT oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Garnish with chopped California walnuts

Preparation:

1. Drain the walnuts and place in a blender with walnut milk, brown sugar, maple syrup, instant coffee, oil, vanilla, and salt. Blend until very smooth. Cover and refrigerate until well-chilled.
2. Place into the bowl of an ice cream maker and freeze until firm.
3. Transfer it to a 1-quart container and store in the freezer.
4. Scoop into the bowls and garnish with chopped California walnuts.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mango puree
• 1/2 cup ice cubes
• 3 cups curd
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup California walnut milk
• 1/2 cup mango ice-cream
• 4 tablespoons strawberry crush
• 4 tablespoons fresh mango diced

Preparation:

1. In a blender, churn together mango puree, California walnut milk, sugar, ice cubes, curd and mango ice-cream till it is smooth. Reserve till further use.
2. Take a few tall glasses and add a tablespoon each of strawberry crush at the base.
3. Top with the chilled smoothie.
4. Finally top with fresh diced mangoes.
5. Serve chilled.

How to make California walnut milk at home?
Soak a cup of untoasted walnuts for 2 hours in 2 cups of water. Strain and rinse walnuts well. Transfer to a blender with 1 cup cold water. Blend on high for a minute. Strain through a muslin cloth till you get an almost dry powdery mass in the muslin cloth after pressing the milk. Transfer in a glass jar and store in the refrigerator. This gives you 2 cups of home-pressed California walnut milk!